JEDDAH: Saudi clubs Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Shabab and Al-Hilal avoided each other after being drawn in separate groups at Monday’s draw for the 2010 AFC Champions League.

Ahli and Ittihad, both based in Jeddah, were bracketed in the West zone Group A and Group B with Shabab of Riyadh in Group C along with Al Ain of UAE, Iran’s Sepahan and Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan. Ahli will face Esteghlal of Iran in Group A which also includes Gulf neighbors Al-Gharafa of Qatar and UAE’s Al-Jazira.

Ittihad will be up against Zob Ahan of Iran and another Uzbek side Bunyodkor. The fourth team in the group is to be determined via a playoff.

Hilal is in Group D with Al Sadd (Qatar), Al-Ahli (UAE), and Mes Kerman (Iran).

Ittihad and Hilal are the only Saudi teams to win two titles in Asia’s premier club competition. Hilal won in 1992 and 2000 and Ittihad in 2004 and 2005.

In the East zone, defending champion Pohang Steelers will clash with 2008 runners-up Adelaide United in Group H.

The group also takes in China’s Shandong Luneng and the winner of Japan’s Emperor’s Cup to be held in Tokyo on January 1, the Asian Football Confederation said.

The 32 teams in the AFC’s premier event were assigned to eight groups of four, split into West and East zones, with all opponents playing each other at home and away. Japan’s Gamba Osaka, the 2008 champion, has landed in Group G where it will take on Korean FA Cup winner Suwon Bluewings, China’s Henan Jianye and the winner of the east-zone playoffs.

Kashima Antlers, who won their third straight J-League title Saturday, were drawn in a challenging Group F with newly crowned K-League winners Jeonbuk Motors, winners of the 2006 Champions League.

China’s Changchun Yatai and Indonesian champions Persipura Jayapura make up the rest of that group.

Another tough contest takes place in Group E where Kawasaki Frontale, J-League runners-up in three of the past four years, take on Chinese champions Beijing Guoan, Korea’s Seongnam Ilhwa and reigning A-League champions Melbourne Victory.

Of the four playoff sides, Singapore Armed Forces and Vietnam’s SHB Da Nang will contest one playoff semifinal, while Indonesia’s Sriwijaya and Thai champs Muang Thong United will contest the other.

The west-zone playoffs will pit India’s Churchill Brothers against either Syria’s Al Karamah or Al Wahda of the UAE. — With input from agencies